Freelance Writers: How to Use Cold Calling to Land Freelance Writing Clients (And How to Overcome Your Fears About Cold Calling)

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Freelance Writers: How to Use Cold Calling to Land Freelance Writing Clients (And How to Overcome Your Fears About Cold Calling)

Written by William Ballard, Freelance Writer and Author

Picture this: You are sitting on your deck sipping a refreshing cup of coffee on a hot summer day. It’s a Tuesday and instead of punching a time clock you are planning your afternoon. You have an article to write for one client that will net you $500, a brochure to finalize for $2,500 and a few meaty statements about a new product for a third client that will bring in $1000. Sounds good? Well it all starts with cold calling.

Now, I know that the majority of the time when you would be reaching out to new clients, you would do it via email and I even wrote an article about how to get clients through direct email marketing, but sometimes the only way to make that personal connection with a new prospecting client (such as local small businesses) is through the ancient device that we most often times hate to use -- the telephone.

When it comes to sales and marketing your freelance writing business, one of the major business interactions that business owners hate to make and a term or phrase that most people hate to hear is the dreaded "cold calling". Just the very sound of it may sound extremely irritating.

However, it’s also one of the most effective long-term marketing techniques in the business. It’s simple to do, effective and I’m going to walk you through it in this article. The best part is that most freelance writers don’t have to do this step of their business very often. Once you have filled up your writing schedule with this method you can stop. But if things slow down you should consider reaching for the phone again.

There is a dual purpose to cold calling: To get immediate work and to make long-term client relations and connections. If there is no immediate work with a particular company then you want to try and schedule a face-to-face meeting so you can show them your samples. If you prefer, you can request their email address so you can send them samples of your work and of course a link to your freelance writing website.

Who do you call?

You call absolutely anyone and everyone who could use a writer of any sort. Start locally and expand abroad. Or start nationally. The choice is yours but start calling businesses and companies. Make sure to keep a list of who you called and when.

This is where your website is worth its weight in gold. I’ve heard from many freelancer writers that while they were having conversations on the phone with a prospecting client they where given an email address, sent an email with their samples and website and was still talking to the person while they were looking over their freelance writer website.

What do you say?

Frankly, you want to talk to the marketing director or the person who hires copywriters. You let that person know the type of writing that you do, request their email address to send them samples (and a direct link to your website) and to see what types of work they have available. Even if they have no immediate work or say that they have all the writers that they need, follow through and send the email with samples and a link. It’s fast and you may get work from it later. Some of my best jobs freelance writers get come months after  they send that initial email.

When to call?

From my experience and observations, the best times to call are early in the morning or early in the evening. Those who do the hiring generally arrive early and stay late. Calling between 8:00 and 8:30 in the morning and 6:00 to 6:30 in the evening will often see the call going directly to the person to whom you wish to speak. Tuesday through Thursday are the best days to call. Monday is the planning day for the week and Friday is a toss-up.

Make a script

Write out what you plan to say if it helps in the initial stages of your cold calling marketing campaign. This will help to overcome your nervousness and tension. This is not the type of call you get at home trying to sell you personal widgets. This is business to business and is treated as such by those you call. They are expecting to be called by professionals offering services to their business.

Be prepared to answer questions

You need to be ready to answer questions about the type of writing that you do, ability to meet deadlines and past work. In the unlikely event you should be asked about cost, defer the question as an “it depends on the range and scope of the project” matter until you have more details. Most businesses understand this and it’s actually rare that they ask. They are far more interested in what you can do for them rather than what it’s going to cost, at least initially.

Does it work?

No one can hire you if they don’t know you exist! You need to get your name and credentials in front of those who do the hiring. The fastest and most efficient way is to simply call them and let them know that you are available to help their business with it’s writing needs. The call is what begins your relationship with the client. You send them samples and a link to your site and then they know who to call when they need your writing expertise and skills.

When Should You Start?

Start immediately! The sooner you start the sooner you will begin to feel comfortable making the calls and the sooner you will be making money. All it takes is a few minutes per call and the rewards are well worth it.

Discussion Question: What other tips could you give on the subject of cold calling new clients? Have you ever used this method of marketing your freelance writing business? If so, how did things turn out?

Please share you answers in the comments below, and if this article added value to you please share it with your friends on Facebook or Twitter (or other social media networks). Thank you for taking the time to read!

P.S. If you want to know where I trained to become the freelance writer that I am today, visit Carol Tice's Freelance Writer's Den (AFF). And if you don't want to miss another valuable article like this one then be sure to grab your seat at the Writer's Round Table.

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About the Author
William Ballard is the author of, "8 Tips to Freelance Writing Success (Article Writing Series)" and "3 Steps to Blogging Success: Discovering Your Passion, Finding Your Audience, and Developing an Income Stream (Article Series)".

He has been writing professionally for over 10+ years and has much experience within the industry, both in publishing and in freelance writing. He has successfully self-published over 10 books and eBooks. Visit his Amazon Author Page to see list of his most recent projects.

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